Door assembly for a laundry treating appliance

Abstract

A door assembly for selectively opening and closing an access opening to a treating chamber of a laundry treating appliance includes an inner door wall and an outer door wall adjacent to the inner door wall, wherein the outer door wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume. The inner door wall includes a portion that is configured to extend at least partially into the treating chamber when the door is closed, and includes an air inlet and an air outlet. The door assembly is configured such that the internal volume is in fluid communication with an airflow inside the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A laundry treating appliance, comprising:
 a cabinet defining an interior; 
 a drum disposed within the cabinet and at least partially defining a treating chamber for treating laundry according to a cycle of operation; 
 an appliance blower disposed within the cabinet and configured to supply an airflow into the treating chamber to evaporate moisture from the laundry during a cycle of operation; and 
 a door assembly coupled to the cabinet and configured to selectively open and close an access opening to the treating chamber, the door assembly comprising:
 an inner door wall comprising a portion that extends at least partially into the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed, wherein the inner door wall includes an air inlet and an air outlet; 
 an outer door wall adjacent to the inner door wall on a side of the inner door wall opposite the treating chamber, wherein the outer door wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume; 
 at least one blower disposed within the internal volume of the door assembly and adjacent one of the air inlet, air outlet, or both, wherein the at least one blower is configured to move at least a portion of the airflow from the treating chamber of the drum through the internal volume and back into the treating chamber, wherein the internal volume is in communication with the treating chamber and is sealed from an environment exterior when the door assembly is in a closed position relative to the cabinet; and 
 a baffle projecting from the inner door wall into the internal volume, wherein the baffle is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet, and 
 
 wherein at least a portion of the moisture evaporated by the airflow flows through the internal volume and condenses on the outer door wall. 
 
     
     
       2. The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein one of the air inlet, the air outlet, or both comprise a plurality of apertures formed in the inner door wall. 
     
     
       3. The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the outer door wall comprises a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the material forming the inner door wall. 
     
     
       4. The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a liquid outlet configured to drain liquid from the internal volume, wherein the liquid outlet is coupled with at least one of a pump and valve. 
 
     
     
       5. The laundry treating appliance of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a bottom wall coupling the inner door wall and the outer door wall, wherein the bottom wall is angled toward the liquid outlet. 
 
     
     
       6. The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an exterior door wall adjacent the outer door wall, opposite the inner door wall, wherein the exterior door wall and the outer door wall at least partially define an external volume, and 
 wherein the external volume is in fluid communication with ambient air. 
 
     
     
       7. The laundry treating appliance of  claim 6 , wherein the exterior door wall comprises an ambient air inlet and an ambient air outlet. 
     
     
       8. The laundry treating appliance of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bottom wall coupling the inner door wall and the outer door wall, wherein the bottom wall includes a plurality of baffles projecting from the bottom wall into the internal volume. 
 
     
     
       9. A door assembly for selectively opening and closing an access opening to a treating chamber of a laundry treating appliance, the door assembly comprising:
 an inner door wall comprising a portion that is configured to extend at least partially into the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed, wherein the inner door wall includes an air inlet and an air outlet; 
 an intermediate wall adjacent to the inner door wall, wherein the intermediate wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume; 
 a baffle projecting from the inner door wall into the internal volume, wherein the baffle is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet; 
 a pump for draining liquid from the internal volume, wherein the pump is disposed within the internal volume; and 
 an exterior door wall adjacent to the intermediate wall, opposite the inner door wall, wherein the exterior door wall and the intermediate wall at least partially define an external volume in fluid communication with ambient air, 
 wherein the internal volume is in fluid communication with an airflow inside the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed; and 
 at least one blower disposed adjacent one of the air inlet, air outlet, or both, wherein the at least one blower is configured to move at least a portion of the airflow through the internal volume, and wherein the at least one blower is configured to prevent addition of ambient air into the treating chamber via the inner door wall, the intermediate wall and the exterior door wall. 
 
     
     
       10. The door assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the exterior door wall comprises an ambient air inlet and an ambient air outlet. 
     
     
       11. The door assembly of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a bottom wall coupling the inner door wall and the intermediate wall, wherein the bottom wall includes a plurality of baffles projecting from the bottom wall into the internal volume. 
 
     
     
       12. The door assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the intermediate wall comprises a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the material forming the inner door wall. 
     
     
       13. A door assembly for selectively opening and closing an access opening to a treating chamber of a laundry treating appliance, the door assembly comprising:
 an inner door wall comprising a portion that is configured to extend at least partially into the treating chamber when the door assembly is closed, wherein the inner door wall includes an air inlet and an air outlet; 
 an outer door wall adjacent to the inner door wall, wherein the outer door wall and the inner door wall at least partially define an internal volume; 
 a baffle projecting from the inner door wall into the internal volume, wherein the baffle is disposed between the air inlet and the air outlet; and 
 at least one blower disposed within an interior volume and adjacent one of the air inlet, the air outlet, or both and configured to move an airflow from the treating chamber, through the internal volume and back into the treating chamber, wherein the at least one blower is configured to recirculate the airflow directly between the treating chamber and the interior volume and prevent entry of ambient air into the treating chamber via the inner and outer door walls. 
 
     
     
       14. The door assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 at least one of a pump and valve configured to drain liquid from the internal volume. 
 
     
     
       15. The door assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a bottom wall coupling the inner door wall and the outer door wall, wherein the bottom wall includes a plurality of baffles projecting from the bottom wall into the internal volume. 
 
     
     
       16. The door assembly of  claim 13 , wherein one of the air inlet, the air outlet, or both comprise a plurality of apertures formed in the inner door wall. 
     
     
       17. The door assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the outer door wall comprises a material having a higher thermal conductivity than the material forming the inner door wall.